Day 332 / 2019 - Symbol Symbolizes

Salam. 

These couple of days, Malaysian has been strucked by 2 issues. The display of wrong flag during a basketball competition and the announcement of the brought-back ashes of the late head of Communist terrorist from the Malaya Communist Party, Chin Peng. 

So, this is my personal view and thoughts. 

1. Both acts are insensitive. The display of the flag is something that should not be happened, ever. In such a big event,it is nearly impossible that the design of the flag is mistaken because of technical problems. If it is a job of a kindergaten or standard 1 students, we can understand. But the fact that it is done by a multimedia company, is unacceptable. And the organisers should be at least checked all the contents during rehearsal to make sure everything is correct and in place to avoid such mistakes. Thankfully, the Police has started their imvestigation to see whether it is a deliberate act or not. 

2. The announcement of the bringing back of Chin Peng ashes to Malaysia is another pain in the arse. As Malaysians, we are all aware that Chin Peng has been potrayed as the leader of MCP "terrorist" for many years before.  The Government before and as of today has been rejecting the official application from some parties to bring back the remnants of Chin Peng. Suddenly, this group of people come out of nowhere announcing that they had brought back the ashes of Chin Peng and has scattered it at the Malaysian waters near Lumut and some at the Chemor hillside in Perak. 

This has sparked a lot of comments in the social media. The sentiments of the Malays towards the issue is very negative. They still remembers the terror acts of MCP that had causes many casualties of their families whom may be a police and an army officers. 

Some said we should not afraid of the ashes because he had passed away and the ashes couldn't do any harm. Some even said that Chin Peng will not be resurrected to once again bring chaos to the nation. 

Yes. The are right to say that if they think that rakyats are dumb or pembaris kayu. 

The facts is that rakyat still holds the negative sentiments of MCP and Chin Peng, especially the Malays. It is not that we are afraid of the physical matter of the ashes or its ghost.  it is about dignity or maruah of the country. 

Think about this. The ashes are brought-back on the 16th September 2019 quietly and based on the statements made by the Ministry of Home Affairs, they don't know about this and no permission has been given for it to be brought back. If the parties who had brought back the ashes is really sincere and do the act just to respect the family wishes, why did they announce it to the public after nearly 2 months? Private matters should be kept private and they know that announcing such thing could spark unhealthy sentiments of the rakyat. 

These are smugglers. I think the ban of bringing back the ashes has not been lifted. If that is so, these bunch of idiot, publicity-whore of law offenders shall be punished by existing laws of customs as well as security laws that are related. Their act can make so many people angry. Their most problematic act is that to announce what they have done to the public. If they kept it to themselves, then none of these negative sentiments would occur. 

Now, some may ask, what is the real problem? The real problem here is that the announcement symbolizes the "heroic homecoming" of such a head terrorist to the country.  This of course will make most of the people sakit hati as such a person shall not be treated as a hero of this country. 

Luckily, the group claimed that they had scattered the ashes in the sea and on a hillside. My question is this: Did they really did or not? How can we assure that they have not put the ashes somewhere else like a secret tomb or a shrine where other people can come and paid a visit. This could happened and if not controlled could cause more troubles in the future. 

This what I mean by a symbol, symbolizes. In fact, 2 symbols -- the act of bringing back the ashes illegally as a symbol of "winning over the ban" and the act of telling where they have scattered the ashes as a symbol of "the potential site to reboot their struggle" against the government. 

Allah knows best. 

Thank You. 

*The group who brought back the ashes. 

Day 200 / 2019 - We will be tested

Assalamualaikum

IN the Quran, God said, whoever says "We believed", will be tested. Surah Al-Ankabut, verse 1-3:

الم - 29:1
Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ - 29:2

Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test?

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ - 29:3

We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.

Each and every day is a test for those who believed in HIM. There are certain degrees or levels of tests that one had to endure. Sometimes, the test is easy to handle while others are not.

Certainly, what I'm trying to share is that, currently, I think I'm being heavily tested -- and it came in many ways, many aspects, many spectrums. But I would not like to discuss it here, because it is personal and prejudice may occur.

As a believer, we have to believe that every test, every hardship is just another step for us to get closer to HIM, to know truly, who HE is.

And if the test came in the way of hardship, surely it will be followed by ease. Surah Al-Inshirah, verse 5-6:

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا - 94:5
So, surely with hardship comes ease.

إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا - 94:6

Surely with ˹that˺ hardship comes ˹more˺ ease.

God repeated this twice, consecutively. This shows, that we have to TRUST in HIM. Every hardship is a test for us. God will make ease for us after that. If not here, in this world, HE will be, in the afterlife.

In this situation, what we have to do is to reflect. Hardship and Eases, both are tests. But we only remember Him when the test comes in the way of hardship, while we tend to forget HIM when it came in eases. Surah Yunus, verse 12:

وَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَائِمًا فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَا إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ - 10:12

Whenever someone is touched by hardship, they cry out to Us, whether lying on their side, sitting, or standing. But when We relieve their hardship, they return to their old ways as if they had never cried to Us to remove any hardship! This is how the misdeeds of the transgressors have been made appealing to them.

Surely, God had tested us. We might fail for an 'x' times, but we should never stop trying to pass the tests, every time. Our belief in HIM can be increased (as well as decreased). That's why we are being tested. It's a chance to get to know HIM better, to be close to HIM, to understand HIM in a way that we are powerless, tiny creatures before HIM.

"Ya Allah, ampuni dosa-dosaku, aku memohon segalanya hanya padamu"

Wassalam

Day 144 / 2019 - Wedding Anniversary

Assalamualaikum

Facebook has not forgotten us.. ;)

Today is my wedding anniversary day. To be exact, it was a Friday and  today is Friday!

I couldn't imagine what my life would be if i am not married six years ago. My marriage has thought me new things. Things that I've had never experienced in my life before. I learn more about happiness, patience, courage, sympathy, empathy, determination and most importantly, gratitude.

Living in marriage is like living in a roller coaster. You have your ups and downs, the turns whether to the right, left, front and back. But one thing for sure is that you will end up at the same spot where the roller coaster starts and ends. I think this is the most important aspect in marriage -- any direction you go as long as it is still in the course, you'll be all right and arrived at the destination safely.

Syukur and praises to Allah for this marriage! I pray for more blessed life with my wife and children till the rest of our lives, please o Allah! Amin!

Wassalam